HIV Digest	HIV Digest Archive

Federal prisons would be required to offer HIV testing to all inmates at intake and prior to release under a bill introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California).

Mandatory testing has long raised concerns among civil libertarians and other activists. Although Waters's bill would allow prisoners to refuse to undergo testing, she acknowledged her proposal might alarm some advocates. "There's some discomfort. Therea division among the AIDS groups. I'm moving beyond where they would normally go," she said.

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aters maintains that stronger action is needed in response to persistently high HIV/AIDS rates among African Americans, and that working with incarcerated persons is only one aspect of this response strategy.

The Department of Justice's Bureau of Prisons already has in place policies for screening and treating inmates for HIV/AIDS. Guidelines published in June state that prisoners are entitled to an HIV test upon request, and that medical staff are advised to test inmates who show signs of infection. "BOP clinicians should have a very low threshold for testing inmates for HIV infection," the guidelines say.

In addition, according to a 2005 BOP policy statement, "Mandatory testing is performed when there are risk factors and the test is clinically indicated and/or surveillance testing is required."

Calling BOP's policy "not very comprehensive," Waters said her bill would increase the number of prisoners tested and improve their care, both in prison and post-release. Under her bill, BOP would be directed to link released prisoners to community resources for treatment and counseling.

from The Hill (Washington, DC)